Inamorato
by moviescript Ending
Summary: After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.
1. Beginnings

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

**Author's Note: **Wow, I'm actually attempting a multi-chaptered story. So, enjoy the story and **please review.**

* * *

_"Contradictions  
__Get me everything I want  
__I'll let you know  
__But I think it's gonna take a while  
__It's a clear view_  
_No one's waiting at the door  
__A million letters  
__They couldn't make me change my mind  
__I think I'd better run, run, run, run."_

She sat in the lounge of her school, quietly sipping her coffee as her eyes scanned the contents of the latest issue of Riviera. A sigh escaped her lips as she pretended to read, but her mind was elsewhere. She lifted her eyes slightly to look across the room and immediately they spotted him.

Devon Rockglen. Senior. Captain of the football team. Absolutely gorgeous.

Summer was always a fan of the chase. She strived off of it, was always game to get what she wanted, when she wanted it. When she obtained her prizes, however, she always seemed to get bored of them. The boys always got too "into themselves" or "always talks about soccer" or "thinks he's some god or something". And then she would break up with them, crushing their hearts like she was a mallet and they were the shellfish.

But not Devon.

He was different.

She had already approached him at a party last weekend. Dressed in a short red number, she sauntered over to him while he spoke to his football friends. She flirted with him, gave him small taps on the shoulder, brushed her hands against his arms.

And he looked right through her.

And so Summer made Devon Rockglen her next target. No one could say no to her. She was fucking _Summer Roberts_, for crying out loud! _'If he didn't want her,'_ she mentally thought, _'then people would make it a trend. They would forget all me, and no one would want me any longer.'_

Nothing could get in her way between her and her new prize.

* * *

"Seth Ezekiel! Get down here!"

Seth eyes jolted open. He turned his head to look at the clock and groaned. _'7:45 AM'_ it read.

He sighed as he swung his legs from over his bed and lifting a tired arm, rubbed his eyes. Feet slid into warm, house slippers and trodding along, Seth opened his closet to pick any two items hung and stacked nearby. A finger flipped on his stereo system and as Seth quietly changed, he listened to the melodies; anything so he could take his mind off another day at school.

_Don't got a lot of time  
__Don't give a damn  
__Don't tell me what to do  
__I am the man  
__If there's a god up there  
__Something above  
__God, shine your light down here  
__Shine on the love_

_Love of the loveless_

_Don't have too many friends  
__Never felt at home  
__Always been my own man  
__Pretty much alone  
__I know how to get through  
__And when push comes to shove  
__I got something that you need  
__I got the love_

_Love of the loveless_

_All around you people walking  
__Empty hearts and voices talking  
__Looking for and finding  
__Nothing_

_Don't got a lot of time  
__Don't really care  
__Not selling anything  
__Buyer beware  
__If there's a god up there  
__Something above  
__God, shine your light down here  
__Shine on the love_

_Love of the loveless_

_Don't got a lot of time  
__Don't give a damn  
__Don't tell me what to do  
__I am the man_

_Love of the loveless_

"You ready?" Ryan walked up to his brother and raised a comforting hand to his shoulder. His backpack was slung over one shoulder and a cup of warm coffee was held in his hand. Seth's noses quirked in want as it smelled the sweet aroma of Ryan's coffee.

"Hey, you mind if I get a sip of that?" he asked. Ryan gave him a sideways glare and retreated his hand away from Seth.

"No, it's mine. And we're gonna be late for school. It's not my fault you woke up late. _Again._" Seth groaned and making a 180-degree turn, he stomped back towards the kitchen. Ryan grabbed him by his sweater as he was walking.

"No. School. Now. We're gonna be late." Seth made a face and Ryan shrugged. Throwing their backpacks in the trunk of the car, both boys climbed in, with Ryan at the wheels and Seth in the passenger seat.

The first few minutes of the ride were habitually silent, music radiating off of the radio system to be the only sound.

"So, Summer, huh," Ryan said, in an attempt to break the silence.

"Yep, Summer," Seth sighed. He made a face and leaned his forehead against the car's window. In a dramatic attempt, he sighed, his voice loud and booming and Ryan had to suppress a laugh.

"Why are you so quiet today? Usually, you're so _'Oh. My. God. I love Summer, blah blah blah'. _Your silence is starting to creep me out, Seth."

Seth leaned his head far back on his seat and played with his fingers. He turned to Ryan, "I don't know, man. It's just--today, I made a conclusion."

Ryan lifted an eyebrow, never taking his eyes of the road. "A conclusion?"

"Yeah, a conclusion. I mean, Summer, right? I've been pining for her for, like, ten years. And has she noticed me? No. Nope. Not at all. She doesn't even know who I am. And that one time when she actually noticed me in the cafeteria, she called me Stanley. Not Seth. Stanley. I have decided to give up."

Ryan felt his lips quirk in a small grin and when Seth looked at him with large eyes, he faked an audible gasp of worry. "Oh, Seth. I can't believe it."

Seth shook his head and crossed his arms. He leaned back into his seat. "You better believe it, bro." Ryan didn't attempt to suppress his laugh and Seth looked pointedly at him. "Why are _you_ laughing?" he asked.

"Seth, you do this every week. You say you're gonna give up on Summer, and yet at lunch time, you always go on and on about how beautiful she is, how much you want her to be yours. This has been happening for months now." Ryan nodded. "Trust me, giving up on someone you've liked for nearly a decade...it's not exactly easy."

Seth sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, well. Says the guy with the steady girlfriend for a year and a half."

Ryan shrugged. "It'll be your turn soon enough, Seth." Seth rolled his eyes.

Pulling into the school parking lot, both boys stepped outside the car and retrieved their bags from the trunk. They slowly walked through the parking lot and Seth halted his ministrations when he was in front of the school. The two stood on the first step of the large building and looked up at the structure.

Ryan patted Seth hard on the back. "It won't be that bad. Maybe she'll notice you this morning. Or at lunch. Or this afternoon."

Seth pouted and his shoulders slumped.

"I hate school."


	2. Connection

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

* * *

_"Sweet like candy to my soul  
__Sweet you rock_  
_And sweet you roll  
__Lost for you  
__I'm so lost for you"_

"Are you sure about this, Summer? You know how much of a challenge Devon can be. I've never even seen him date a girl at school, much less hold hands. With anyone."

Marissa and Summer walked down the halls of the school, clutching their Dior totes that were slung on their shoulders. Summer rolled her eyes at her best friend's comments, a small smile embellished on her face. She shook her head.

"Coop, it's gonna be nothing. I've got this plan on lock. You know me! When I want something, I _get_ it. Devon won't know what hit him." When Marissa gave her a sidelong glance laced with worry, Summer playfully swatted her shoulder and grinned.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." The two reached their lockers, which were thankfully next to one another, and reached forward to handle their locks. After picking up two textbooks from her locker, Summer turned to Marissa and opened her mouth to speak. A ring in the tune of "Rock Your Body" rang through the air and groaning, Summer hastily searched her tote for the phone. She retrieved it and immediately flipped it open.

"Hello?" she asked to the person on the other line.

Marissa turned her head and watched Summer as she spoke on her cell phone. She saw how Summer's smile slowly faded and how she quietly sighed. She saw the way Summer's shoulders slumped and how the frown on her face had formed. Immediately, Marissa knew whom she was talking to.

Lifting the phone away from her face and covering the bottom, Summer turned to her friend. "Hey Coop, do you think I could stay over at your place for the weekend? My dad's leaving for business today."

Marissa nodded and turned to her locker, grabbing a textbook and placing it in her bag.

"Thanks," said Summer. "She said yeah. Okay then, I'll talk to you later. Love you, too. Bye." Summer snapped shut her cell phone and sighed.

"Thanks, Coop." She scoffed. "If it wasn't for you, I would be stuck home all weekend with the Stepmonster. I heard her talking on the phone yesterday, and I swear she ordered a dozen more boxes of Vitalin. It's being shipped right at this moment."

Marissa laughed. "You know you can come anytime, Sum. And besides, I--" Marissa's words were nailed shut when she felt a pair of warm lips cascade down the back of her neck. She giggled and turned around and smiled as she placed her forehead on that of Ryan's.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey." Ryan felt his lips quirk in a sideways grin and Marissa wrapped her arms around his neck.

Summer watched as her best friend and her boyfriend engaged in a very public makeout session and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Guys, ew much?" She leaned her side into her locker and rolled her eyes.

Ryan never took his eyes off of Marissa. "Hey Summer," he said. Marissa giggled and leaned forward, her lips inviting for another kiss.

Summer sighed and gave a nod of her head. "Chino," she backhanded. She raised her wrist and looked at the time. She and Marissa were going to be late for Chemistry if Ryan didn't hand Marissa back her lips any time soon.

Seth walked through the hallway, his head swaying to an imaginative beat. He whistled a tune as his eyes searched for Ryan. It had been an almost breakthrough when Summer's hand had almost grazed his own in the lunch line earlier that day, and Seth was ecstatic to tell Ryan of his fortunes.

He spotted him a few seconds later, Ryan's lips attached to his girlfriend's. Seth shrugged and trudged on and getting closer, he squinted his eyes to see who was standing a few feet away. The person looked impatient, tapping their foot on the school floor.

Dior tote. Raven hair. Mini-skirt. Pink halter top.

_Summer._

Seth's heart rate jumped almost immediately and his eyes widened as they appraised Summer's appearance. She was exactly where he needed to be! Biting his lip, Seth stuffed his hands into his corduroy pockets and marched on to where his friends were.

Summer felt hard, labored breathing next to her and scowling, she turned her head to the perpetrator. "You mind breathing over there? You're making my skin all misty." Seth stared at her for a full second and nodded, facing his body less towards Summer.

"Coop, c'mon. We're gonna be late. Mr. Tawdrin is going to so have our asses if we're late. Again. For the fourth time this week," she pleaded. Marissa ripped her lips away from Ryan's and grinned at Summer.

"Don't worry, Sum. I bet you we still have, like, two minutes left. We won't be late." She turned her attention back to her boyfriend and giggled before kissing him again.

Seth's scanned all around the hall and he held his hands behind his back. His gaze finally landed on Marissa and Ryan and he shook his head, a small grin lighting his face.

"That's pretty disgusting, isn't it?" he asked. His voice was small and nervous and Seth had no idea where his sudden courage had erupted from.

Summer felt her lips move into a tiny smile. "Totally." It took one whole minute for her to realize who she was talking to, whom she was smiling at, and in realization, her smile immediately wiped off her face. Her eyes widened and she turned to Seth, shooting a steely glare at him, before making three short steps and tugging on Marissa's sleeve.

"Coop, c'mon!" she whined. Marissa sighed and reluctantly let go of her boyfriend.

"Bye," she whispered to Ryan. He grinned and waved.

He turned to face Seth and was surprised by his wide grin and awestruck eyes. "What's up with you?" Seth's mouth opened to formulate words, but no sound had managed to come out.

"Summer. Me. She. talked," he breathed. Ryan lifted his eyebrows and lent a hand to Seth, which he accepted when it landed on his back. "Must breathe," he repeated. Ryan's confused state was not left unnoticed as Seth tried to recover himself by taking deep breaths.

Seth looked at his watch and made a signal to Ryan with his head. "Time to go to class. I'll tell you on the way there," he said, smiling. Ryan let a small smile slip and he nodded, walking next to Seth as they paved their way towards Study Hall.


	3. Proposition

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

**Author's Note: **To clear up a few things, **Monica/hebrewhernia**, the opening lyrics in the first chapter are from "Run Run Run" by Phoenix. The song Seth listens to when he's changing is "Love of the Loveless" by The Eels. And to everyone else, thank you for your comments and opinions! I certainly value all of them.

* * *

_"We don't go breaking down  
__I feel like nothing ever will,  
__We don't go breaking down_  
_I feel like nothing."_

History class was just so _boring_.

Summer never really understood the whole meaning behind taking History. To her, it was a complete waste of an hour. Why learn about things that happened years and years before? It had happened, time to move on. She groaned as she looked at the clock. _10:32 AM. _Twenty-eight more minutes to go.

There was only one thing Summer loved about the class and that was the gorgeous male sitting three seats away from her. She stared at the back of his head, biting on her lower lip. Summer had no idea why Devon was still on the market; he was popular, handsome, and surprisingly, very friendly. He had many friends, was captain of the football team. So, why was he still single?

Summer had spent days trying to come up with the best plan to enrapture Devon. Notes upon notes were scribbled in her binder about her next moves, what she should say and do. So far she had nothing good enough that she wanted to take into consideration. Her time and her patience were wearing thin. But she was now more determined than ever to make him her prize.

"Miss Roberts, will you please answer my question." Ms. Yi's voice reached Summer's ears and she lifted her eyes to the front of the room where the teacher stood. Ms. Yi sat at her desk, her gaze transfixed on Summer as she drummed her fingernails on the table.

"Can you repeat that question please?" asked Summer. She rolled her eyes and sighed before resting her chin on her hand.

Ms. Yi looked Summer straight in the eyes. "What was the Female Moral Reform Society?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Summer bit her lip. "You know what, I have no idea." She leaned back into her chair. "And I find this class to be a complete waste of time. So excuse me while I powder my nose." She reached down into her tote bag and retrieved a miniature compact, all the while laughter arose from the rest of the class.

Ms. Yi did not find anything to be funny. "See me after class, Summer."

* * *

The bell that indicated the end of third period rang and hoards of students exited their classes to go to fourth. Seth slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out of Trigonometry. He had forgotten to retrieve the extra credit assignment from Ms. Yi's history class and pushed and shoved his way through the hallway to make it to her class.

Ms. Yi's booming voice could be heard from outside her door and slowly Seth walked into her classroom. The teacher appeared to be scolding someone and moving his eyes, Seth was shocked to find that person to be none other than Summer.

"I think you should reconsider your attitude, Summer. I--" Ms. Yi was startled to find that a student had entered her classroom and she made a slight nod of her head when she realized it was Seth Cohen. "Yes, Mr. Cohen?" she asked him from behind her desk.

Seth felt two pairs of females' eyes on him and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Um, I just came by to get the extra credit assignment. I forgot to retrieve it this morning." Ms. Yi nodded her head and reached for a stack of papers on her desk.

Seth felt Summer's eyes on him, studying him and he lowered his eyes to the ground. He prayed that she couldn't tell his cheeks were flushing and that his throat was becoming dry.

"Ah, here we are." Ms. Yi handed Seth the papers and then turned to Summer. "Well, I think you got what I was saying. You're dismissed."

Summer reached down, murmuring to herself, and obtained her tote. She made note that Seth was exiting the classroom and for a reason unknown, she quickly gathered all her things and rushed out the room to find him.

"Stanley!" she called out.

Seth halted his walking and turned around. His face was crinkled in confusion. _'Me?'_ he pointed to himself. Summer felt herself smile and nodded, walking to him.

"Stanley, right?" she asked him. Seth felt his mouth go entirely dry and he nodded his head. A second later, he shook it.

Summer made a face and felt her eyebrows lower in confusion. "Not Stanley?" Seth shook his head no.

"Seth. My name's Seth. Seth Cohen," he squeaked. Summer gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Sorry," she said. Seth shrugged. Silence trudged on and the two stood awkwardly in the hall. Seth couldn't believe Summer Roberts was actually talking to him.

Summer cleared her throat and pointed to the direction of a nearby door. "So, is that your next class?" she asked. Seth nodded.

Summer had to raise her head higher to look Seth in the eyes. She had never realized how tall he was compared to her. "Do you have Devon Rockglen in your class?"

Seth felt a frown adorn his face. "Yeah, he is," he told her. _'Why does it matter if he's in my class?'_ he thought.

Summer immediately felt like a little girl with an enormous crush. She looked down in small embarrassment. Seth stared at her in a mix of both awe and confusion. For him, it felt like the hallway was moving a mile a minute, but he and Summer were glued to their spots and never moved at all.

"Do you mind doing me a favor…Seth?" asked Summer. Her eyes were horribly hopeful and Seth found himself quickly nodding.

"Anything."

Summer felt overwhelmed by Seth's words and looked at him, her eyes clouded with confusion and silent adoration.

"I need you to help me get with him."

Seth felt his eyes go wide and his heart rip in thousands and thousands of pieces. His head felt light and his palms grew cold and sweaty. His breathing grew haggard, his face white, and he looked at Summer with an ultimately dire blank stare.

_'I need you to help me get with him.'_

Who knew that nine simple words had the ability to crush his very core? Summer was asking him to help her hook up with some guy! Some macho, captain-of-the-football-team guy in his Physics class. The Summer who was his love ever since the third grade, the Summer whom he dreamed of every other night; she was actually pleading for him to get her a date with this _boy_!

As he looked into her large, pleading brown eyes, Seth felt his resonance dissolve and defeated, he nodded. He knew that Summer held his life by a string and saying no to her request would only result him in a crushed Summer and an even more disastrous Seth Cohen.

"What do you want me to do?" he whispered. His voice was haggard, but Summer seemed to think less of it.

Summer seemed enthused at his acceptance and she spoke with a brighter tone. Her hands moved animatedly as she tried to come up with an answer to Seth's question. "Um, I don't know. Get to know him. Fill me in on what he likes, what he does when he's bored. Boxers or briefs--I don't know. Just think of something. Report back me to me. You know, all that good stuff." She smiled up at Seth and he felt his broken heart warm, just for a second.

"Thanks so much, Cohen." Another smile. Another warmth. "Well, I gotta go to English. I'll talk to you later then." She waved at him as she left and Seth stood alone in the hallway. The final bell rang and he sighed as he walked a few more steps and into his classroom.


	4. Anguish

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

**Author's Notes: **To clear up any confusion, this story is exactly how it is on the show: Seth and Ryan are not biological brothers, but rather by adopted terms. The only thing is that Ryan's arrival didn't do anything for Seth's "popularity", thus leaving him to be the geek we saw in the beginning of the show.

* * *

_"This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin  
__You tried to reach deep but you couldn't get in  
__And now you're outside me you see all the beauty  
Repent all your sin"_

"Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?"

"Ryan Gosling. Like that even needs an afterthought."

Marissa laughed as she sat on her bed, her fingers working lazily at Summer's hair. Summer sat in front of Marissa on the floor, her back aligned between Marissa legs.

"Yeah, but Ryan Reynolds got buff--really buff--recently. He looks pretty good, Sum."

Summer pursed her lips together in thought. She scrunched her nose in disagreement and shook her head. "No. Nope. Can Ryan Reynolds vouch for Noah Calhoun? Did Ryan Reynolds build a house for his one and only love, in hopes of getting back to that love? Did he hold his dying wife's hand as the two passed on into heaven together? Loved her until the very day he died and beyond?" She turned back to Marissa, her face contorted into one of conclusion.

Marissa giggled. "Yeah, you got a point there, Summer."

Summer turned back around and grinned. "Thought so."

The two girls enjoyed a comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being Marissa's hands as she braided Summer's raven hair, pulling and twisting in hopes of making the design. Summer decided to break the quiet.

"So, guess what." Marissa leaned her head to the side to take a better look at her friend.

"What?" she challenged.

Summer's face was lit up by a large smile and she played with her hands in mild excitement. "I totally have a plan to get Devon."

Marissa raised an eyebrow. "How?" she asked.

"I got some geek in his class to find out stuff about him. Get the 411, learn things about him, and then he'll report back to me. If all things go as planned, Mr. Football-Captain will be mine in a week, tops." She couldn't hide her sneaky-clad smile and Marissa's eyes grew suspicious.

"Who's the geek?" she said. She turned her attention back to the braids she was making and awaited Summer's answer.

Summer bit her lip in thought. "Um, Stanley Copen or something."

Marissa's eyes widened and she dropped Summer's hair in shock. "Seth Cohen, Sum? Sweater-vest wearing, comic book loving Seth Cohen?"

Summer wrinkled her face and shrugged. "I guess," she deadpanned.

Marissa sighed in small disappointment. "Sum, that guy's been in love with you for years. You probably broke his heart!"

Summer felt herself frown. Her heart seemed to weigh a little bit heavier than usual, but upon realizing where she was and who she was with, her heart froze immediately, morphing back to a hardened piece of rock for no one to touch upon.

"Okay, Coop. When had you been last updated about this little grade school crush?" she asked.

Marissa lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug and went back to working on Summer's hair. "I don't know. I really don't have any idea."

Summer nodded her head. "That's what I thought. He could be over me for all we know. He's probably crushing on some lame comic book geekette that we don't know about. He didn't look that sad when I offered him the proposition."

Marissa felt herself sigh once again. "I guess. But Sum, just giving you a heads up. Don't crush the guy."

Summer brought her hands up and made a swatting motion, while her eyes rolled in indignation. "Don't worry about it. He'll be fine."

* * *

"I think I have to kill myself."

Ryan looked up from his place by the island counter, his methodical chewing coming to a stop. He stared as Seth came marching into the kitchen; his face glazed in anguish, his shoulders slumped.

Finishing the remnants of his banana, Ryan threw the peel into the trash. "What happened now?"

Seth heaved a dramatic sigh and walked to a cabinet by the sink. Ryan awaited an answer, but none came right away. He watched as Seth, still drowning in misery, opened the cabinet. Pulling out a rope Ryan recognized as one used in gardening, he witnessed as Seth tied the rope along his neck, forming a knot on one end of it.

Shock registered on Ryan's face and throwing himself towards Seth, he dislodged the rope from his brother's neck. Seth seemed to care less. Ryan rolled his eyes; Seth's dramatic behavior was just so much to put up with sometimes.

"No suicide attempts. No," Ryan scolded. Seth rolled his eyes before sitting at the island and banging his head on the counter.

"What happened?"

"Ghtxthic." A mumbled ramble was all that was heard.

"Huh?" Ryan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Seth lifted his head from the counter.

"Summer."

_'Of course,'_ his brother reasoned. _'It was always about Summer.'_

"Care to elaborate?" Ryan took a seat next to Seth and reached for a nearby bagel.

"This may take a while," Seth warned.

"I've got free time. It's okay."

A nod. "Well, so I walking to Ms. Yi's class, you know, because I forgot my extra credit assignment. And behold, there was Summer. She was getting her ass grilled because I don't know what. Anyway, she followed me out of the class, called me Seth Cohen--finally--and basically tore my heart out."

A blank stare was all Seth needed to know he had to continue.

"She asked me to hook her up with Devon Rockglen. Me! She asked _me_! Out of all the people in the school, she had to pick me to do her dirty work. Which consists of her and another guy. Me, Ryan. Me. And what do I say? _'Why of course, Summer. Anytime.'_ Because she's got me like a freaking dog on a leash. Because I've been in love with her for so long." He groaned and dropped his head onto the counter once again.

"Why me! Why _me_?"

Ryan sat at the counter, his face on silent shock. How was he supposed to confront someone about these kinds of things? Summer's proposition was only going to be the downfall of Seth Cohen. With each day, Seth's heart would break apart even more; so, how was he supposed to comfort something like _that_?

Offering Seth a pat on the back, Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you know, I guess you could look on the bright side."

Seth offered him a blank look. "That being?"

Ryan drew a breath. "Well, maybe you guys could form a bond. Like, a friendship. Or something. I mean, it's better than nothing."

Seth nodded, his dramatic anguish transformed into dire misery. "I guess," he whispered.

Ryan nodded and stood up. "Well there you go. You'll be her friend. At least it's something." He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving Seth to his thoughts.

_'A friend,'_ he mused in silence.

Better than nothing.


	5. Action

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

* * *

_"To me, you're strange and you're beautiful  
__You'd be so perfect with me  
__But you just can't see  
__You turn every head  
__But you don't see me"_

Seth groaned as he heard the first signs of the fourth period bell. He swung his long legs as fast as he could to his English class, his strides matching his rather cloudy mood. It wasn't his fault that he bumped into the new girl, thus leading him to apologize profusely, helping her pick up her textbooks and helping her clean her spilt coffee.

He learned that the girl's name was Anna and she had just transferred from Pittsburgh. She was cute, not ugly in any way. Dressed in an argyle sweater and purple leggings, she captured Seth's attention undoubtedly. She seemed not to be like the other girls at school.

But she wasn't hot. She wasn't gorgeous. She definitely was no Summer.

And so, as he walked to fourth period, he grimaced. He had just participated in a kind act by helping someone pick up their things, and what did he get in return? Tardiness. Great.

Walking into English, he groaned as thirty pairs of eyes landed on him. Ms. Brookes stared up at the gangly teenager through her foggy bifocals and shook her head. "And you are late because why, Mr. Cohen?"

Seth shrugged his shoulders as he took his seat. "Hold up in the hallway."

Ms. Brookes rolled her eyes. "Class started ten minutes ago. What hold-up could there possibly be in empty hallways?"

Quiet laughter erupted throughout the classroom and Seth shrugged once again. Ms. Brookes pointed a pencil to Seth. "Don't let it happen it again, Seth."

Seth sighed as he slid himself down into his seat, making himself comfortable. He spied Devon Rockglen in his peripheral vision and inwardly groaned. Summer had blatantly asked him to help her be with him, and what choice did he have? Sure, Seth had the option of choosing not to participate, but in going down that road, he would lose Summer's respect and possible friendship.

So he basically had no real choice at all.

Seth looked up to the front of the class. Ms. Brookes had her back turned to the class, writing boring facts about Henry David Thoreau on the blackboard. Seth rolled his eyes. Ms. Brookes never got the clue that her students didn't care about the class at all.

Turning to his side to speak to Devon, Seth gained his attention by calling out his name in a ragged whisper. Looking up from his notes, Devon raised his eyes when he heard his name and found the voice coming from Seth Cohen.

"Oh, hey Cohen," he acknowledged.

As Seth looked upon Devon, he accredited that he had never really disliked him at all. Whereas Brad and Tyler had bullied him everyday during sophomore year, Devon had never joined in on teasing, had never participated in Seth's everyday wedgies or "punching sessions". He had never called Seth names, had never thrown him a snide remark about how "gay" his music is, or how "comics are for geeks".

Seth had to admit: Devon Rockglen was actually a pretty good guy.

Which hurt him more than _anything_. It would have been easier, he reasoned, if Devon had been a bully, an asshole. That way if Summer ever did realize that he was a waste of time, she could rely on Seth himself. He would be her knight in shining armor.

But Devon was just too perfect. There would be no actual reason for Summer to leave him.

Seth ignored his conflicting thoughts and swerved his mind back to the task at hand. "I'm doing an interview for the school newspaper," he proposed in a small voice, "and I'm writing an article on--um--football captains." He subtly wrinkled his nose at his lame attempt to come up with an excuse.

Devon lifted his eyebrows in surprise and nodded his head. "Really? Is that so?"

Seth gulped and quickly nodded in response. "Yep, really."

Devon smiled, his white teeth gleaming. "Alright, then. Go ahead and ask whatever questions you want."

Seth released a sigh of relief. Devon hadn't caught on.

"Well," he began to ask, "What's you favorite food?"

Devon lifted his index finger and thumb to his chin, racking up an attempt to gather a good answer. "Um, probably my mom's lasagna. She makes the best lasagna. Like, the cheese on it is the perfect kind of gooey."

Seth laughed and leaned back into his chair. "Damn, that really sounds good right about now."

Devon smirked. "Dude, once you try that lasagna, you're gone. I swear."

Seth nodded his head and smiled, before throwing his victim more questions of the various kinds. He later found out that the guy's favorite movies were Varsity Blues and There's Something About Mary. He liked to go bowling with his dad on the weekends and sometimes liked to fish.

As the "interview" finished, Seth leaned back into his seat a little more. He gave an inaudible sigh as he quickly jotted down the notes Ms. Brookes wrote on the blackboard. Stealing a quick glance to Devon on his right, he sighed once more and languidly slumped his backpack on his shoulder when the bell to lunch gave way.

Seth Cohen definitely had competition.

* * *

Summer walked the hallways of the high school, her high heels tapping on the tile of the ground. She hummed contentedly and holding a textbook to her chest, her tote swung to and fro from her shoulder. Eyes scanned the hallway when she spied a tall, lanky boy working his lock at his locker.

"Cohen!"

Seth looked up when his ears registered that someone was calling his name. Summer walked briskly up to him, her tapping getting much louder and her skirt swaying in time with her striding. Seth gave an involuntary smile.

It still did wonders to him about how Summer could turn him into a lovestruck guppy. His heart started to beat faster, and his palms began to collect sweat. He prayed that Summer didn't notice how much she could change his demeanor in .03 seconds.

"Hm?" he nonchalantly asked.

Summer finally reached him and leaned her side on the locker next to his.

"So, did you do anything yet?" Her eyes held a bright glow and Seth felt his heart tighten.

"Why yes, I sharpened my pencil twice and had a lovely turkey sandwich at lunch today. Thanks for asking."

Summer scowled and quickly slapped Seth on the shoulder. "I mean about Devon, you moron."

Seth grimaced when Summer's fingers abusively made contact with his shoulder. "Hey, watch it with violence, young lady. Some are not as strong as others."

Summer rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She gave an impatient nod. "Well?" she asked.

As he was rummaging through his locker, Seth gave a quiet sigh. He turned to Summer with a defeated facade.

"Yeah, I talked to him."

Summer mouth grew into a wide, bright smile. "Well, what'd you ask? What'd he say?" Seth felt nauseous at her blatant happiness.

"Well, I asked him basic stuff. Like favorite food. Stuff to do on the weekends. Not that _'Would you like Summer Roberts while your at it?'_ stuff you want me to say."

Summer waved off her hand in disregard. She smiled at Seth. "Whatever. Save that for another time. But the fact is, you're actually getting somewhere. So, what'd he say?"

Seth bit his lip, making an attempt at trying to remember what Devon had told him. "Well," he said, "He said his favorite food was lasagna."

Summer giggled and Seth tried hard not to roll his eyes. It literally broke his heart to stand here and share stories about the competition he had when it came to Summer. For the millionth time that day, Seth realized just how much his position sucked.

"Lasagna is so good. He has a very nice taste in foods."

Seth retrieved a notebook from his locker and slammed it shut. He turned to Summer, "Lasagna's okay. You know what's really good? Hot Cheetos and cream cheese."

Summer's mouth fell open in shock. That was _her_ favorite snack. Marissa and Holly had thought it to be the weirdest combination, but Summer always shook her head and shrugged her shoulders at them. She loved the hot, spicy taste of the Cheetos combined with the smooth, rich flavor of cream cheese. Eating the Cheetos alone had always been a challenge to her; they were always too pungent for her taste buds. But with the cream cheese, Summer felt as though it made the best of the Cheeto. The best of both worlds.

Realizing her position, Summer snapped shut her mouth and tossed a trite scowl to Seth. He noticed how her short-lived warmth had transformed into a sudden ramrod straight terseness and scratched his head at the thought.

"Ew, Cohen. That is, like, the nastiest combination I've ever heard of. Talk about gross." She feigned her charlatan facade and tried her best to make it seem as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Seth shrugged. "You should try it sometime."

Summer rolled her eyes. The bell rang for sixth period and she clutched her textbook closer to her chest. "Well, you better tell me the rest of the 411 from today. I need to know my man-facts."

She turned on her heel to walk to class and Seth's eyes glazed over in realization. Summer's footsteps echoed throughout the hallway and Seth dashed to keep up with her, his quick strides taking him to the destination quickly. A cough vibrated next to Summer and she turned around to the accomplice.

"What do you want, Cohen?"

Seth faked a scoff. "I'm walking to class, Summer. It just so happens to be that it's in the direction you're going. Don't think you're something special."

Summer rolled her eyes and her mouth began to sprout a quick retort that she would unleash to Seth. A lone pencil sat in the middle of the hall and while her attention focused to Seth, she ignorantly dismissed it, her eyes never leaving the skinny, bobbleheaded geek next to her.

Her foot swept over the pencil and in shock, her eyes doubled in size. Her arms lost control over her books and papers flew in all directions, scattering over the dirty hallway floor. Seth caught Summer's shoulder before she had a chance to fall flat on her face, his quick reflexes saving her from being a total embarrassment in the middle of the hallway.

"Whoa, are you okay?" Seth looked at Summer in worry, his eyes glazed in questioning. Summer nodded and fully stood up, straightening her skirt and fixing the stray hairs on her head.

"I'm fine, thanks," she said. She looked down. "But my books are not."

Summer bent to retrieve her textbook and papers, as Seth did the same. He slowly gathered Summer's belongings off of the floor, helping her, when the sound of the clicking of heels sounded in his ears.

"Sum!"

Holly made a quick jog to Summer just as she was standing up. Her blonde hair tousled in her miniature rush and she quickly gave Summer a hug and a small kiss on the cheek.

"You're coming to the party tonight, right?"

Summer nodded and plastered a smile on her face, her teeth making a bold appearance. "Wouldn't miss it, Holl."

Seth stood up, his hands full of Summer's belongings. Holly's eyes turned from Summer to him, and she grimaced in disliking. She looked back at Summer and giggled.

"Sum, you are_ so _genius."

Summer knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Holly rolled her eyes in a playful manner and pointed at Seth. "Duh. I mean, like, getting the nerd to carry your stuff. I should totally try that sometime." She turned to Seth and wrinkled her nose. "You're really _that_ desperate, Emo Geek?"

Holly laughed and Summer threw her a small, emotionless smile. Seth felt his heart warm when he didn't hear Summer's agreement of Holly's mistreatment of him. Standing in front of Summer, Holly didn't notice how Summer clearly disagreed with her, regardless of the social rank of Seth Cohen.

"Well, see you there. Love you." Holly walked away, her miniskirt billowing as her hips swayed to-and-fro. Summer turned to Seth and gathered her books from his hands.

"Um, yeah. Thanks, Cohen." Seth smiled and nodded his head. Summer nodded her head back at him and walked away, looking around; hoping no one would notice her associations with Seth. She stalked off to the last class of the day and watching her, Seth sighed in resignation and laid his head on the nearest locker.


	6. Care

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, with the exceptions of a few original characters.

**Summary: **After pining for Summer for entirely all his life, Seth gets a chance when she asks something of him. But will her proposition be exactly what he wants to hear—or worse? SS.

**Author's Note: **To clarify, **svocfanatic**, the song at the beginning of Chapter 5 is "Stranger and Beautiful" by Aqualung. Also, thank you for all the reviews!

* * *

_"You'll be given love  
You'll be taken care of_  
_You'll be given love  
__You have to trust it"_

Swift fingers jabbed at the controller's buttons, eyes hardened with determination, sparked with competition. Seth stared hard at the TV screen, Ryan next to him, feeling every bit of the competition his brother was feeling next to him.

"Take that you Jedi-blooded scum!"

Seth released a playful cackle, his hands working to control the character in the game. On screen, Anakin Skywalker battled with Obi-Wan Kenobi, the fiery graphics of the video game drawing Seth and Ryan farther into the game. With a few jabs to the buttons, Seth had Anakin pistol his lightsaber to Obi-Wan, who Ryan had jump back in defense. Throwing back a few somersaults, Ryan maneuvered Obi-Wan to fling his lightsaber at Anakin, who peddled back in reflex.

The melodic blaring of Ryan's cell phone went off, causing him to press 'Pause' and whip it out of his pants pocket.

Ryan flipped open his phone and pressed the cold metal into his ear. "Hello?"

Beside him Seth stretched his back onto the end of the couch, his arms raising themselves to further relax his muscles. He and Ryan had been sitting on the pool house floor for three hours, and Seth was frustrated that he had lost the game exactly twenty-five times. He scoffed when he realized that Ryan had only lost once.

"Yeah, sure, I guess. Do I _really _need to go? I mean, I've been there so many times already. Well, of course I want to be with you. Fine, no problem. I'll keep you company. Okay, alright. Love you, too. Bye."

Ryan flipped off his phone and turned to Seth, only to find himself rolling his eyes a second later when his amused brother began to make googly, lovestruck faces. Ryan shook his head and chuckled before throwing Seth a playful punch in the arm.

"Whatever, man. You're just jealous because you don't have a girl."

Seth's mouth moved to find a rebuttal to throw back at Ryan, but the movements quickly diminished when he figured Ryan was right. A nod was sent Ryan's way.

"Speaking of girls," Seth began. Ryan heaved a sigh and plopped down on the floor next to Seth. "I want to go to that party with you."

His head snapped in such an instant that Ryan thought he saw stars float among his eyes. Eyes widened, he looked at Seth with curiosity. "_You_ wanna go to the party? Holly's party?"

Seth nodded his head as if he considered the statement to be nothing. "Well, yeah."

Ryan's head shook in disbelief, his golden brown hair swishing in time to his movements. "Well, what happened to your little proclamation," he claimed, "_'I, Seth Ezekiel, will never go to another lame Newport party again, in risk of being pummeled by the water polo demons and hideously overrated blonde beach broads.'_"

Seth scoffed and swatted his hands. "Okay, my dear brother, that was before I actually had an assignment to attain to. An assignment involving Summer. Who maybe I'll get a chance to talk with tonight. Like, _really_ talk with."

Ryan chuckled. "Seth, she'll be wasted. You won't getting any talking done when she's slurring her words together and throwing up on your shoes."

A roll of the eyes. "Well, at least she'll be there. And she'll want to know more about Devon. So at least I'll be a smidgen reliable."

"Well just be careful. The water polo team'll probably be there and I don't want you coming home with a black eye and a sprained wrist. Again."

Seth sighed and nodded. "You'll be there. So you can kick their ass if they messed with me."

Ryan nodded and pursed his lips together in agreement. "True. But still, be careful."

A smile lit up Seth's face and he stood up before dusting off his clothes. Shutting off the XBOX, he waved a quick goodbye to Ryan, heading into the main house and up the stairs to his room.

* * *

_"Name it, read it, tune it, print it,  
Scan it, send it, fax - rename it,  
Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it,  
Turn it, leave it, start - format it."_

The funky beats of Daft Punk reverberated throughout Holly's beachside abode, its rhythms flowing through numerous bodies grinding on a wide dance floor. Seth moved his head from side to side, taking in the people and the atmosphere that the party had to offer him. It had been a while since he had attended a Newport rager and even then he had forgotten what they were like.

Drinks of assortments of colors littered the kitchen counter, lone cups scattered on the hardwood floor. A couple of students he had recognized from school sat on a couch on the left of Seth, fingers closing in one nostril as rolled up twenty dollar bills sucked in lines of cocaine. A bong sat on the glass coffee table in front of them before it was picked up by a giggling blonde female who happily took a shot of the bong before laughing again.

Ryan stood next to Seth by the doorway, his eyes scanning the crowds for his girlfriend. Marissa stood far off to the right, talking to a mutual friend, a cup nestled tightly in her hand. Ryan smiled when he noticed her and turned to Seth.

"Marissa's over there. Wanna come with me?"

Seth gave a smug shake of the head. "Nah, man. It's cool. I'm gonna look for Summer."

Ryan nodded and took off, his strides leading him in the direction of Marissa. Her eyes lit up when she noticed his presence and excused herself from her friend. Arms flew around Ryan's shoulder as she leaned in for a kiss.

Seth walked around the perimeter of the beach house observing the individuals who gathered around him. He searched for Summer but through the mass of blonde hair, he found no petite, raven-haired girl--much to his disappointment.

Throwing himself on a lone couch, he sighed, bringing his fingers to his thighs, which tapped to the beat of the party's music. It felt like forever that he was on the couch, a sign of Summer never appearing before him.

A large, bellyaching laugh sounded from the right of him and Seth snapped his head to look at the commotion. Brad and his water-polo minions charged through dancing bodies, laughing, obviously intoxicated. Seth's eyes doubled in size and he quickly rose from his position of the couch, maneuvering to get away from the jocks. If they had seen him, he reasoned, the night would be over before it had even begun.

He stalked off to the kitchen counter, poured himself a drink and took a swig of it. Another laugh resonated throughout the crowd and raising his eyes, Seth noted that Summer was coming his way, her goal another drink.

Seth felt his heart rate quicken and stood by the kitchen counter, hoping Summer would notice him.

She did. "Cohen!"

Summer stumbled over to Seth, her feet moving in a jumble, the action causing her to erupt in giggles.

_Damn,_ Seth examined, _she was **drunk**._

"What are you doing here?" Summer asked. She clinged to Seth as she straightened her composure.

"It's a party, Sum. I'm partying."

Summer scoffed, her face showing signs of disbelief. "Yeah, but you're here _alone_. By the kitchen counter. Doesn't seem like too much of a 'party', if you know what I mean."

Before Seth could retort back, Summer's eyes enlarged in size and her mouth formed the shape of an 'o'. "Devon Rockglen! You never told me more about Devon."

Seth nodded his head, masking an inaudible sigh. He had come to the party in hopes that Summer would talk to him, knowing that she would ask about Devon. Nonetheless, gossiping about the guy hurt.

"What else do you wanna know?"

Summer shook her head. "Anything! I--" Before she could continue, her stomach gave a lurching. It happened so fast and before he knew it, Seth was staring down at Summer as she blew chunks right in front of him.

Summer grabbed her stomach in nausea and rushed herself to the bathroom. Seth looked alarmed as he took in what happened before running in the direction Summer had taken off to. He opened the bathroom door to see her crouched in front of the toilet, arms strung out in front of her, her face looking every bit exhausted.

"Cohen?" she asked him in a quiet whisper.

"Yeah?"

"I feel sick." Her words were slurred and she threw back her head into the toilet, the remains of her drinking catching up to her. Seth rushed forward to pull up her hair and rub her back, ignoring the grotesque sounds of Summer's spewing.

She finished and grabbed some toilet paper to the left of her and wiped her mouth. Leaning on the bathroom wall, she closed her eyes. Seth stared at her for a full minute, surprised at how fast she had fallen asleep.

He looked at the time._ 1:54 AM._ Reaching forward, Seth gathered Summer into his arms, who immediately snuggled against him in her sleep. The party had dwindled down a notch from when he had first arrived and taking note, Seth saw that the water polo jocks were long gone. Eyes spotted Ryan and Marissa nestled together on a nearby couch and almost instantly Ryan looked up. Seth gestured to him of the sleeping Summer in his arms and Ryan made motions with his hands of how he'll get a ride home from Marissa.

Seth walked to the family's black SUV and opening the passenger side door, set Summer in the seat, quietly binding her to the car with a seatbelt. He walked around to the driver's side, turned on the engine, and left for Summer's house.

The ride to her house was quiet, the only sounds to be the voice of Ben Gibbard as Death Cab for Cutie floated through the air. Seth looked to Summer, who's head was thrown back onto the seat, her breathing coming in short billows, eyes closed in content. If Seth had believed months ago that Summer Roberts would in his car with him, he wouldn't have believed it. But she really was next to him, fast asleep, and he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact.

Seth, with Summer still in his arms, walked up to the Roberts doorway. He rang the doorbell, his response nothing. Another ringing and still nothing. His hand locked around the doorknob and giving a light turning, Seth was surprised to find the door unlocked.

"Hello? Anybody here? Mr. Roberts?"

Seth's voice echoed throughout the large house, but no response came again. To think that Summer would have returned to an empty house perturbed him; did she always come home to no father, no mother? His footsteps sounded on the cold, marble floor and he walked upstairs to where he reasoned Summer's room would be.

Many doors were locked, he found, upon trying to open them. The last door in the hallway was unlocked, however, and he entered to find a purple haven, frills and lace adorning the curtains and bed sheets. He settled Summer down on the large, queen-sized bed, gently tucking her in. Seth sighed as he stared at Summer, who lay comfortably nestled between the sheets.

He didn't like the idea of leaving her to be alone in the desolate household. There would be no one to watch over her, no one to take care of her if she threw up once again. But if he did stay, the chances are she would wake up and find him near her. The realization would scare her and send her to think of him as a stalker and she would never talk to him again.

His caring for her overruled his raging thoughts and he walked over to a nearby plush chair. He sat in it, the sleep taking over. His eyelids began to droop and casting one last look in Summer's direction, sleep greeted him in silent welcome.**  
**


End file.
